Image Credit: Mayor Tim Kelly / Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
In November of 2023, Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly’s administration launched a Bridging Communities series of bimonthly workshops designed as a coalition of nonprofits and city providers for immigrant and refugee populations.
While programs aiding in the assimilation of legal immigrants should be encouraged, this collaboration appears to extend its reach to more than newly naturalized Americans.
The Bridging Communities program is touted as a partnership of nearly 50 service providers and nonprofits aimed at exploring the best practices in serving immigrant and refugee communities, including translation services, English as a Second Language classes, and training organizational partners in interacting with these communities.
The meetings are hosted by the Department of Equity and Community Engagement (ECE), which includes the Office of New Americans (ONA), and engage several partner organizations including The Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC), Bridge Refugee Services, Republican Congressman Chuck Fleischmann’s Office, and Volunteers in Medicine amongst others.
The registration form for the meetings describes the workshops as an effort to integrate the city of Chattanooga through an equity lens by enhancing access to resources. It also encourages the public to attend to learn more about “our newest neighbors and how we can welcome and engage into all our neighborhoods.”
While none of the promotional materials specifically mention immigration status as a requirement for participation or invitation, it seems that all migrants are welcome, regardless of legal status.
Karen Clay, listed as the ONA Neighborhood Relations Specialist, responded to an inquiry asking if the meetings and services were open to any individual regardless of immigration status with a single-line email that simply read, “Yes, it is open to any citizens who would like to attend.”
This stance strongly suggests illegal aliens are not only welcome at the meetings but are also encouraged to partake of services provided by partner organizations.
Though Tennessee has experienced a surge of illegal immigrants and related issues with the state legislature doing little to stop the flow despite efforts from conservative champions, this program appears to be yet another magnet attracting illegal aliens to the state.
Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
5 Responses
Yup, lucifer’s dimmercrap cities.
The Chattanooga Mayor reminds me of Gavin Newsom. He’s a privileged rich kid who majored in German Comparative Literature at Columbia University. People don’t vote in Chattanooga. What’s up with that? The guy won with 16,000 votes. Pathetic. The internet says it has a population of 187,000 people. Is Chattanooga a Lib city?
Did Clay realize that you were asking the question in regards to them encouraging illegal immigrants to participate? Because if she didn’t then this entire article is based on misrepresentation. Asking someone questions without giving the relevant context and then showing the response on here claiming that it means something else is not journalism. That’s pushing your own agenda.
Clay was specifically asked if individuals would be permitted to participate regardless of their immigration status. Her response was “Yes….”
Considering the communication skills the average person has these days, I don’t consider that enough clarification to tell someone that ‘my point of view is that you support illegal immigration’. Also, a one-line response tells me that this was the hasty reply of someone who is overworked and most likely didn’t really read the question.